JACKSON, Tenn. – The Union University men's basketball team won in a double overtime thriller Thursday night, 94-91, over the University of West Florida for the team's first GSC win of the season.
 
GAME DETAILS
Final: Union 94 | West Florida 91 (2OT)
Records: Union 6-3, 1-2 | West Florida 5-2, 0-2
Location: Fred DeLay Gymnasium – Jackson, Tenn.
Series: Union leads 6-3
Social: @UUAthletics  |  #WeAreUU  |  UUAthletics.com
 
WHAT HAPPENED

• West Florida opened up the game with a 5-2 lead, but it quickly vanished as Union ran off 10 straight points with three's from Tray Boyd and Nick Velasquez that put the Bulldogs up 12-5. Another three from Jarad Scott pushed the lead to 11 with 12:42 left in the first half.
• The Argos then went on a streak of their own going on a 15-2 run to take the lead 21-19 with 6:43 left. Both teams then traded blows for the remainder of the half with Union coming out on top 30-28 with another three, this time from Braden Burnside, to go into the locker room with the lead.
• Union came out the the halftime break scoring on a layup from Scott to push their lead to to four points, 32-28. The Argos worked their way back through back and forth scoring to take their first lead of the half with 16:30 left in the period.
• Neither team was able to put up more than a five point lead over the next 14 minutes of action, but the Bulldogs were able to hold onto their slim lead over that period before West Florida tied the game wit two minutes remaining in the game. 
• Union regained their lead with 1:41 left on another three from Scott to make the score 65-62. With just :11 left on the clock, the Argos nailed down a three to pull to within just one point.
•  Ashanti Day knocked down a free throw with :07 left on the clock to move the Union lead to two points, but the Argos drove down court and laid in a basket to tie the game forcing overtime.
• The Bulldogs opened up the overtime period with back to back buckets to go up four points in the opening minute. West Florida cut that lead to one point on a three from Jason Laatsch with :17 left on the clock. Rashaan Benson then drove in and put up another layup to tie the score at 81-81 to force a second overtime period.
• Down two with three minutes left to play, KC Goodwin knocked down a three to take the one point lead. Nick Velasquez pushed that lead to three with a jumper with 1:50 left on the clock and the score set at 88-85. Despite West Florida tying the game on a three pointer, Union drew two fouls leading to four points at the charity stripe. The Argos followed that up with another three to pull within one, but KC Goodwin added two more points at the free throw line and Union held onto the lead to win 94-91.

STAT OF THE GAME

• The difference in the game came down to free throws with Union shooting 22-for-26, good for 86 percent, while the Argos shot 65 percent from the charity stripe going 19-for-29. The last six points scored for Union all came from the free throw line.

 
TEAM STATS

• Union shot 51 percent from the field and 41 percent from behind the arc knocking down 10 long balls in the game.
• The Bulldogs turned the ball over 19 times in the game, compared to West Florida's 10 turnovers, but Union out-rebounded their opponents 38-32. 

PLAYER STATS

• Charlie Wilson led the game with 23 points while also grabbing 10 boards in the win for his first career double-double of his career with the Bulldogs. 
• Jarad Scott put up 19 points with 11 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season.
• Tray Boyd added 17 points to the Union total while Nick Velasquez added 15 points.
• Rashaan Benson led the Argos with 22 points on the night.

 
UP NEXT
Union will finish off their fall semester schedule hosting Valdosta State on Saturday, December 17th, at 4:00 p.m. The Bulldogs will then take a 14 day break for the holidays before getting back to action on the road at Delta State on New Year's Eve at 4:00 p.m.